I paid $530 for one night in Hawaii’s famous pink hotel. I was so excited, but I wouldn’t stay there again.

I had a nice trip, but I wouldn’t spend the money to stay at the pink hotel again.

Overall, I spent $530 on my one-night stay at The Royal Hawaiian, and I don’t think I can justify staying there again.

The hotel’s location was nice, but I wasn’t impressed with my room, which felt very dated. For the same price or a few hundred dollars more, I could stay somewhere with more luxurious-feeling rooms, like Disney’s Aulani or a nearby Four Seasons.

Maybe I would’ve felt differently if I’d stayed in the other section of the hotel, the Mailani Tower. It’s decorated differently, and I’ve heard from friends the Tower’s rooms are nicer and more modern.

Although rooms in the Historic Wing and Mailani Tower can have comparable prices, a room in the tower was pricier when I booked my trip.

Even so, I think the best parts of the resort, like its nearby beaches and mai tais, can be accessed by the general public. I’ll definitely return to The Royal Hawaiian’s bar for mai tais, but I won’t be staying again as an overnight guest.

This story was originally published on April 4, 2024, and most recently updated on September 26, 2024.